Open Gardens

Please arrive by 11am. A little garden tour of the maturing food forest will happen at some point during the day.

This is David Pepper’s annual Winter Solstice celebration for seed savers AND the wider community. The early part of the day will be seed savers and as the day moves on, more people will arrive to celebrate. You are welcome to stay as long as you want – the celebrations often go on well into the night.

There will be a small ritual to honour Gaia and the winter solstice. You are welcome to join David in sacrificing your summer hat or similar into the fire.

Nambucca Valley Aquaponics is a fairly new enterprise run by Luke Tutt and dad on the family farm in Congarinni. A local chef by trade, Luke has embarked on growing the goodies himself, foodbox distributions and exploring various farm multifuctions and tourism attractions.

We will have a tour with him at 11am, then travel on to Michelle Morozumi’s in Valla for lunch
Bring lunch to share, chair mug etc

Morning Tea at “Nemoral” Brierfield

This month’s Seed Saver garden visit is to new member Debbie Kent’s property just outside Bellingen. Debbie and her partner Greg are relatively new to the area having moved from Sydney to Brierfield just over 4 years ago after building their “forever home”. The property and home are called “Nemoral” which means living in or amongst a forest. The home is surrounded by 6 hectares of tall eucalyptus forest which, given the current bushfire regulations, means a number of restrictions on what you can build and how you manage the site. But living in a forest is what they wanted and they were prepared to go the extra yards associated with their choice. So, if you have ever wondered what it would be like to live within a forest you are welcome to come and enjoy morning tea at Nemoral on Sunday 22nd April. Starting at 9:30am and finishing at noon the visit will begin with a brief overview of the gardens followed by questions over morning tea. We will then have a relaxed stroll around the area – viewing vegetable patch, orchards and the extensive terraces of native plants – which has been described as ‘eye popping’.

Gillian warmly invites you to lunch followed by a brainstorming tour of her garden at Fernmount.  

“The focus of this garden is on the panoramic view, fruit & vegetables for domestic use, and keeping the rest as low maintenance and bird friendly as possible. 

There’s approximately five acres of sloping land with a number of different soil types and microclimates.  This young garden is typical of many in the area and represents an exciting clean slate. 

Over the last three years we concentrated on the basics – removing lantana, retaining large native trees, and clearing shrub close to the house.  Young fruit trees have been planted, a wallaby proof vegetable patch created, and a dam culvert installed.  

There are many more projects to go but I’m not in a hurry.  Please come along and share your gardening ideas for the following focus areas: 

• Attractive ground covers for a hot dry embankment;
• Orchard and veggie patch tips.
• Mass planting clumps under large trees; 
• Building walkways with drainage across slope;
• Bird sanctuary gully for nectar eaters (not fruit orchard thieves!); 
• Dam area.”

Gillian

Please bring sturdy enclosed walking shoes, a water bottle, and a plate to share for lunch at the beginning of the gathering

Nick says, “The first garden is 20 years old with permaculture planning on a flat, alluvial site. It includes an owner built passive solar house, vegies, fruit trees, clumping bamboo and rainforest restoration. The other garden is 6 years old, on a hilltop close by but very different – more windy, drier and with poorer soil. Climate change is making things tougher still, so I’ve learnt a lot about water conservation and regenerative gardening. 

The littoral rainforest in nearby Bongil Bongil National Park plays a big influence in my gardening approach. I will be walking there in the morning, leaving the house at 9.30 a.m. sharp. Anyone is welcome to join in if they can walk 5km at moderate pace.”

Please bring a plate to share for lunch at the beginning of the gathering.

The weekend of July 22 & 23 we are having a group tour of 3 gardens in the Nimbin & Mullumbimby areas. You are welcome to join us.

Saturday morning we car pool to Nimbin and tour permaculture food forest Djanbung Gardens along with some of our northern rivers seed savers cousins.

Saturday night accommodation will be at Granny’s Farm Nimbin where we can make use of the communal kitchen and enjoy a shared/communal meal together on Saturday night. PLEASE BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION DIRECTLY WITH GRANNY’S FARM. Prices range from $15 – $90. Call 6689 1333 to book.

Sunday we head to the Mullumbimby area where we visit Rasa Dover’s garden in Goonengerry – coordinator of Byron Hinterland Seed Savers. This is about a 1 hour drive from Djanbung Gardens. We could also fit in a visit to Joel Orchard’s Community Garden at Mullumbimby, about 30min drive from Rasa’s garden.

Sunday evening drive home.

Participants will need to pay for car-pooling petrol, food and accommodation.
Garden visit fees will be covered by Bellingen Seed Savers.

Please arrive at midday. A little garden tour will commence at 12.30
There will be a small ritual to honour Gaia and the winter solstice. You are welcome to join David in sacrificing your summer hat. Please bring something to throw into the fire to let go of, even just a piece of paper with something written on it.

Three years ago, Shann and her family were lucky enough to make the move from Canberra to the delightful hamlet of Repton. A bushland setting opens out on valley views of farmland and circling Osprey. Terraced paths wend down the slope, through palms and frangipani to a pond and banana grove full of potential.

Shann has inherited an established garden mix of natives and exotics and is looking for tips and tricks to improve her beginnings at a vegie garden.

Come and enjoy a tranquil morning out in Repton, bring something to share and a fold up chair if you have one.

Note: sloping site with some paths not quite finished; sensible shoes advised